Conrad is the Interactive News Editor for the Telegraph. He writes about data and visualisations. Follow him on Twitter @Coneee.

The Government has unlocked the open data safe – now we must open it

Sir Tim Berners-Lee at the launch of Data.gov.uk (Photo by paul_clarke on Flickr)

The Government wants to create an industry worth £6 billion built on publicly releasing information it collects. The theory, it seems, is that open data will create jobs and – at the same time – cut costs by making public authorities more careful with their money.

Before that theory can be realised, however, the first step is deciding which data to release, and how to do it. The body tasked with guiding (pushing? dragging, while kicking and screaming?) government departments through this process is the Orwellian sounding "public sector transparency board".

The board – which is chaired by Francis Maude and includes members like Sir Tim Berners-Lee – met recently to try and decide what data is considered "public" and should therefore be released. They decided that they want information from Companies House, the Land Registry, transport information (including timetables and fares) and weather forecasts – or else. It also plans to ask you, the taxpayer, what data you want released: remember, you paid for it. So if not the whole lot, what further information should us lowly citizens be allowed to see?

Rufus wants better income data from HM Revenue and Customs, which would enable him to personalise spending data, and show exactly where your tax money goes. He also wants access to internal databases at individual departments. That would let him link government spending to individual programmes. At the moment, it's impossible to see exactly how much is spent on NHS hospital administration because it's hiding in the internal accounts of government departments.

An industry built on government data and a public sector that thinks twice before wasting millions is achievable, but if the Government wants to get there, it'll have to prod, pester and provoke departments and local authorities into releasing information. The door to the safe is unlocked. Now it's time to open it.